


Safe Word

by Madalayna



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Banter, Ensemble Cast, Ficlet, Gen, Humor, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 07:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2573996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madalayna/pseuds/Madalayna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my take on how Skye and Simmons came up with their safe word, "Manscaping" from AoS episode "The Magical Place".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safe Word

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place shortly after "The Hub".

“What do you mean by a… _safe word_?” Fitz hears in hushed tones coming from the lounge. He can’t believe it, but he thinks it’s Simmons. His legs seem to grow a mind of their own as they carry him toward the lounge.

As he exits his bunk, he hears Skye say, “You know, just a word that means: ‘Stop, cease, desist, halt all words currently fleeing your mouth’! Then, hopefully we can avoid any future need for May and I to bury dead bodies for you.”

“He was not dead! I mean, I shot him but—oh, all right, maybe that could be useful. Not that I _ever_ want to be in a situation like _that_ again!”

“Hey, do not blame me! I’m not the one who went all cray-cray in the hallway.” Skye says defensively.

“Ugh, I’m really quite bad at improvisation,” Simmons acknowledges despondently. “So, how does one decide on a...safe word?”

Poking his head around the corner from the kitchen, Fitz sees Simmons facing a cross-legged Skye on the sofa. They look up simultaneously at his approach.

“Hey, you two,” he says innocently, walking slowly into the lounge. “Did I hear something about a _safe_ word?”

Simmons looks appalled by his presence, her eyes large and uneasy. Skye smiles and says, “Yeah, we’re just coming up with a code word that I can use next time Simmons here gets into trouble with her _mouth_. Girlfriend cannot tell a lie and we do _not_ need a repeat of that fiasco at the Hub”.

A distinct blush begins creeping along Simmons’ cheekbones and she looks away, placing one hand firmly over said mouth.

“Yes, when you shot Agent Sitwell…with the Night-Night gun. Good plan, there." He attempts to look casual, bringing his fingers up to stroke his chin as he asks, "And how _does_ one go about selecting such a word?” He can’t help but smirk a little at Simmons’ evident lack of equanimity.

Skye continues oblivious to Simmons’ rising blush, “I don’t know. Something distinctive yet simple, maybe?”

“Well, you don’t want to make it _too_ simple—you don’t want it to come up in ordinary conversation,” Ward adds, entering from the stairs.

Simmons looks as though she would like to melt into the sofa.

“Yeah, good point,” Skye replies, eyes glazing over introspectively before going bright with inspiration. “How about, _blunderbuss_?”

Simmons squirms in her seat and whimpers a little.

“Well,” Fitz says, crossing his arms and tapping his chin in thought. “You don’t want it to be so obscure that you _can’t_ use it in ordinary conversation.”

“Hmm…how about something that relates to the problem like, _glitch_?" Sky suggests. "Nah, actually, I might use that word a lot. What about,  _kibosh_?”

Ward is shaking his head. “No, still could get used in everyday conversation. You need something more unusual. How about, _rumpus_?”

Skye bursts out laughing, instantly earning a deep frown from her S.O. She quickly tries to get her cool back but the laughter doesn’t quite leave her eyes.

“Widdershins?” Fitz suggests.

“Um, how about _no_?” Skye answers drily.

“What?” He grumbles. “It means 'contrary direction'. That’s sort of what you’re going for, isn’t it?”

“It doesn’t really _have_ to mean anything…” Skye taps her lip with her index finger. “Mullet?” she suggests.

Ward laughs now. “I’m not sure how you’d get that into a sentence if you needed it.” He pauses, “Archipelago.”

“ _I_ have to remember what it is.” Skye throws a large sarcastic wave around the room, “Hey, ya know, remember me?”

“Neolithic,” Simmons finally chimes in, looking slightly less mortified.

“What if we’re exploring some alien weapon in an ancient cave or somethin'?” Fitz asks soberly.

“Sphygmomanometer,” Simmons tries again. “…Or, oocephalus.”

Fitz snorts with laughter at that. Skye and Ward stare from Fitz to Simmons and back again. “Oh, it means egghead…in Greek,” he offers.

“ _Of course_ it does. Your nickname? TMI, guys,” Skye jokes, with a chuckle. “But, _hello_? Me, again.” She waves at Simmons this time. “How about, _conniption_? It is an accurate description of what will happen if you don’t button it next time. And you sort of looked like you were having a fit when you tried to flirt with Sitwell.” Skye laughs boisterously.

"Flirt?" Fitz questions, but Simmons only rolls her eyes significantly, then shakes her head, trying to stifle a laugh at Skye’s joke. Fitz conveys his displeasure with his eyebrows.

“Brouhaha,” Ward says.

“Amygdala?” Fitz tries.

“Platypus,” Skye call out over both them. “Shenanigans.”

“Schadenfreude,” May says quietly, seeming to simply appear out of nowhere in the doorway near the cockpit.

Laughter explodes from Skye involuntarily. “But...that’s not even English…” she trails off. Her smile leaves almost immediately as she eyes May warily and glances swiftly away from the specialists’ stony expression. “Is it?”

Fitz bites the inside of his lip in an attempt to hide his grin. He meets Simmons’ eyes as she's similarly hiding her smile behind an open palm.

Ward’s lips curl up minutely as he says, “It’s German. It’s the pleasure felt at another’s misfortune.”

“Oh…uh, how about, _zing_!” Skye responds buoyantly, evidently ignoring the incident.

“Herpetologist,” Simmons says. Now they all burst into fits laughter. “What? It’s a scientist who studies reptiles!” she complains.

Their laughter dies slowly into silence as they all become lost in thought again.

“Quagmire,” Ward says softly.

“Hirsute,” Fitz offers.

“Manscaping,” it comes from behind them. They all turn to see Coulson standing in the doorway with a slight smirk on his face.

“I think the Boss has spoken,” Skye says, breaking the stunned silence. “Manscaping, it is. Simmons, next time you hear that word: Stop speaking—no chitchat, no communicado, and definitely no shooting the breeze— _or_ anything else.”

Simmons nods sharply and they all wordlessly retreat to various distant points of the Bus. Skye leaves last, throwing Coulson a half-smile and a jaunty salute on her way out. May and Coulson are left standing on opposite sides of the lounge.

“Were we ever _that_ young?” Coulson wonders aloud.

May utters a soft  _hmmph_  as she turns back toward the cockpit.

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first AoS fanfic. I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
